


The Last of Us

by the_Anonymous_Writer



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Gen, but not extreme enough for a M rating. I think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26342371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_Anonymous_Writer/pseuds/the_Anonymous_Writer
Summary: The prologue to the original Last of Us game before the 20 year time jump. In written form.
Kudos: 1





	The Last of Us

**Author's Note:**

> Despite having been a bit unsure on some parts, I'm proud of how this turned out and happy I finished it. As the summery said the it's beginning part of the game so if you've seen or played it you know what to expect.

The only sound in the house was the ticking of the clock. And the soft sound of the rustle of the fabric of the couch as Sarah readjusted herself. It was late at night, almost midnight, and she had fallen asleep waited for her dad to come home from work. He'd been gone all day only leaving a note on the fridge telling her he'd be home late. But even so she waited up for him. It was his birthday after all.

The sound of the front door opened followed immediately by a voice breaking the silence in the dark living room. “Tommy I-” The door closed as Joel continued speaking on his phone. “Tommy. Tommy listen to me; He is the contractor.” He paused for just a second and spoke back up in a hushed voice when he noticed Sarah asleep on the couch. “He's the contractor, okay? I can't lose this job.” There was a brief pause. “I-I understa...” Tommy started to interrupt him but then Joel spoke up. “Let's talk about this in the morning, okay?” He switched on the little table light next to the couch startling his daughter awake. “We'll talk about it in the morning.” Sarah let out a yawn. “Alright, goodnight.” Joel then dropped his phone on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Hey,” Sarah greeted him as she started to move from her position.

Joel dropped his keys on the table next to his phone as he motioned for her to move. “Scoot.”

Sarah shuffled to the center of the couch making room for her dad to sit down, which he then did. “Fun day at work, huh?” she asked as Joel tiredly ran a hand over his face.

After adjusting his position, Joel rested his temple lightly against his hand and let out a sigh. “What are you still doing up? It's late.”

With momentary panic, Sarah twisted back to look at the clock hanging on the wall behind the couch. “Oh crud, what time is it?” The clock read 11:50.

“It's way past your bedtime.”

Turning to her dad, Sarah told him, “But it's still today,” before turning and moving off the couch and ducking down to grab something she hid between the couch and the hutch that sat next to it.

“Honey please not right now. I do **not** have the energy for this.”

“Here.” Sarah held out a small box to him even before she was fully on her feet.

Joel turned his attention to her and the gift. “What's this?” he asked as he reached over and accepted the item.

“Your birthday,” Sarah stated as she sat down facing him; eager to see what he'd think. Joel glanced over at her with a smile before flipping open the lid of the box. A watch. “You kept complaining about your broken watch...” He removed the watch from its case and, leaning forward, set the container on the table. “So, I figured, you know. You like it?”

Leaning back in the couch Joel clasped it on his wrist. He paused as he stared down at the watch. With a slight shake of the head he told her, “Honey, this is...” Lifting the watch to his ear.

“What?”

He tapped the face of the watch. “It's nice but I- I think it's stuck. It's not-”

“What? No, no no no.” Sarah didn't notice the smirk on Joel's face as she grabbed his arm pulling it closer to check the watch. Once she noticed the second hand ticking she shoved his arm back at him. “Oh, ha ha,” she said as she turned away and laid down on the couch, with her head resting on the opposite arm rest. Despite his antics she was still amused but wasn't going to admit it.

He gave his gift another once over. It was a really nice watch. Then, with amusement evident in his voice he asked, “Where did you get the money for this?”

Without missing a beat, Sarah stated, “Drugs.” She looked back to him. “I sell hardcore drugs.”

“Oh, good.” Joel reached forward and picked up the tv remote. “You can start helping out with the mortgage then.” Joel turned on the television.

“Tsk. Yeah, you wish.”

Joel got up from the couch. It was an hour and a half after he had gotten home and Sarah had finally fallen asleep a short time ago. He tilted her knees up and turned her slightly so he could lift her up in his arms. Her head rested against his shoulder as he carried her. Joel took her upstairs and down the hall to her room. Laying her down on her side and he gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “Good night baby girl.” He said this softly before he turned to leave the room; pausing briefly at her door he looked back with a soft smile before closing the door, carefully so as not to wake her.

The sound of the phone by her bedside woke her up. Propping herself on her elbow, Sarah reached over and picked it up answering with a hello. “Sarah, honey, I need you to get your daddy on the phone.”

“Uncle Tommy, what time is it?” She stammered a bit, confused and a bit concerned.

“I need to talk to your dad now. There's some-”

Suddenly the line was cut off. “Uncle Tommy? Hello?” When there wasn't a response aside from the beeping she put the phone back on its port. Sitting up she swung her legs over the side of her bed. She pushed herself to her feet before rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “What was that all about?” she wondered aloud as she started to her bedroom door to look for her dad. “Dad?” she called out after leaving her room. There was no response though.

After reaching the bathroom door, which was at the end of the hall from her room, she glanced over and saw light coming from her dad's room. Maybe he was watching tv and didn't hear her. Sarah called out to him again as she started over to his room. The door was cracked open and she could indeed hear the tv on. It sounded like the news. Pushing the door open she asked, “You in here?” She glanced about the room. The TV and ceiling fan were on, bed was a mess but empty. “Where the heck are you..?”

Sarah wondered in the room as the the lady on the news caught her attention. “We've received reports that victims afflicted with the infection show signs of increased aggression and-” she paused as a man hurried over to the other men behind her and started speaking.

“We need to move everybody out of here now. There's a gas leak. Hey! Move!” He shouted the last part to some of the others.

“There seems to be some commotion coming from behi-”

The man from before interrupted and yelled over to her. “Lady get the hell outta here right-” He was cut off as an explosion went off behind them cutting the video feed bringing static to the TV.

“Uh... what was that?” Sarah questioned. Though barely finished the thought when an explosion was heard. She jerked her attention out the window and saw the last bit of fire and the plume of smoke in the air. Staring out the window it took her a moment to recover. But once she did she turned and hurried out of the room. “Dad?!” she called out more panicked than she was before.

The little night light illuminated the stairs as Sarah started downstairs. “What is goin' on?” She could hear police sirens even before they passed by the front of their house. Sarah paused momentarily to watch the three police cars speed by. Once the sound of there sirens past she could hear the sound of dogs barking outside. Walking through the living room to the dining room she stopped as she heard her dad's phone buzzing. Looking over she spotted it on the extra counter-top in the kitchen. “There's his phone.” Her bare feet were chilled as she stepped onto the tiled floor of the kitchen. Picking up the phone she took note of the missed notifications. “Eight missed calls. Where the hell are you? Call me. On my way.” The two texts were from her uncle and she assumed the calls were too. She set the phone down. What was going on?

She noticed the double doors to their den were open. Maybe her dad was there? Sarah was about to call out again when suddenly, one of the dogs that were barking outside let out a whine and fell silent. With a gasp, Sarah hugged herself. She was on edge as she continued towards the open doors. Pushing them open the rest of the way she slowly made her way inside. She glanced around then jumped when someone ran inside from the open slider than quickly turned and closed the door behind them. He was panting heavily. She relaxed a little once she realized it was her dad. “There you are.”

Joel quickly looked over at the sound of her voice. “Sarah. Are you okay?” He bumped against the rolling chair at the desk. He sent a quick glance to the desk next to him before he looked back to Sarah. The second she told him 'yeah', Joel turned to the desk and quickly opened one of the drawers and removed a box setting it on the desk and opened it. “Has anyone come in here?” he asked her with a quick look to his daughter before turned back to the gun case.

“No. Who would come in here?” Sarah asked as she stepped closer. She watched him as he removed the handgun and started to load the ammunition.

“Don't go near the doors. Just...” He sounded panicked. Everything he'd been saying held a sense of panic to it. “Just stand back...”

Sarah was already unnerved and the way her dad was talking and acting was making her a little afraid. And it showed in her voice as she spoke. “Dad, you're kinda freaking me out.” Though she did as she was told and stepped back towards more of the middle of the room, she asked, “What's going on?”

“It's the Coopers. Somethin' ain't right with 'em. I th- I think they're sick.”

“What kind of sick?” She barely finished her question when there was a bang on the glass sliding door Joel had come in from earlier. Sarah let out a startled gasp and took a couple steps back.

“Jesus.” Joel jerked back, gun in hand, and turned his attention to the door. The bloodied man outside hit the door again. “Jimmy!”

“Dad?”

Joel quickly moved over to his daughter. “Honey, c'mere. C'mere.” He protectively kept one arm back by her as she ducked behind him. The man, Jimmy, banged against the glass again. “Jimmy- Jimmy just stay back!” He banged against it again this time the glass shattered and he stumbled and fell inside. “Jimmy I am warning you.”

Sarah whispered, “Oh my god...” As Jimmy scrambled to his feet and charged at them.

“Don't!” Joel shouted in a last attempt to get through to him. Jimmy was barely a foot away from them when Joel pulled the the trigger. Sarah cried out behind him. Blood splattered and Jimmy went down. He writhed for a second before he was still.

Joel started to back up, ushering his daughter to do the same. “Go.” He grabbed Sarah by the wrist and turned around. “Go.” Joel pulled her from the room while she stared in shock at their dead neighbor. He brought them to a stop in the dining room. Joel tucked the handgun in his jeans.

“You... You shot him...”

“Sarah.” Joel rested his hands on her shoulders.

“I saw him this mornin'.”

“Listen to me; there is something bad going on. We have got to get outta here. Do you understand me?”

She sniffled and paused for a second before nodding. “Yeah.”

Headlights shone through the windows. Joel looked up. “Tommy. C'mon.” He took her by the hand. Sarah sent a glance back to the den. “C'mon,” he said again as he coaxed her towards the front door.

“Okay.” She quickly hurried along only to send one more look back as they were reaching the door.

They were barely outside when Tommy spoke up. “Where the hell you been?” He walked around the front of his SUV towards them as they stepped off their deck and headed to his vehicle. “You have any idea what's goin' on out there?”

“I got some notion,” Joel told him.

“Holy shit. You got blood all over you.”

Joel opened the back door of the SUV. “C'mon baby. Go on in there.” Though she didn't need to be told as she was already climbing in. As he shut the door behind her he told his brother, “It ain't mine. Let's just get outta here.”

“They're saying that half the people in the city have lost their minds,” Tommy told him as Joel opened the passenger side door.

“Can we just please go?” Joel said as he got in the car shutting the door behind him.

Tommy continued talking as he headed back around to the drivers side. “Some sort of parasite or somethin'.” Getting in the car he shut the door then turned to his brother and asked, “You gonna tell me what happened?”

“Later.”

That was good enough for him as he started the car back up. “Hey, Sarah,” he started as he backed the car out of Joel's driveway. “How you holdin' up honey?”

“I'm fine.” Once he was done backing up she scootched to the middle seat and rested a hand on the side of her dad's seat. “Can we hear what's on the radio?”

Tommy started driving down the road. “Yeah, sure thing,” he told her as he reached to the dash to turn it on.

“Thanks.”

He fiddled with the dials for a bit before giving up. “No cellphone. No radio. Yeah, we're doin' great. Minute ago newsman wouldn't shut up.”

“They say where to go?” Joel asked.

“He said, ah... Army's puttin' up roadblocks on the highway. No gettin' into Travis County.”

“That means we need to get the hell out,” Joel stated. Police sirens were heard as they approached a T intersection. “Take 71.”

“71,” Tommy said it at the same time as Joel, “that's where I'm headed.” He waited for the cops to pass by before heading in the direction they came from.

Sarah spoke up and asked, “Did they say how many were dead?” Joel looked back at her.

“Probably a lot,” Tommy told her. “Found this one family all mangled inside their house.”

Joel turned his attention to him and grabbed his arm. “Tommy.” A warning telling him to stop.

Tommy quickly looked over then glanced back at Sarah. “Right.” He turned back to the road. “Sorry.”

They traveled in silence for a moment before they spotted a car crashed into a street light. “Jesus Christ, how did this happen?”

Pulling onto the dirt road next to the accident, Tommy spoke up. “They got no clue. But we ain't the only town. At first they were saying it was just the South. Now they're going on about the East Coast, the West Coast...” He stopped when he saw a barn house on fire a distance ahead of them. “Holy hell. That's Louis' farm. I hope that son of a bitch made it out.”

Sarah shuffled over to the window and pressed her hands against it as she stared out at the fire as they drove by. “I'm sure he did,” Joel told him. It was an attempt to being a little positive. Since being a doom thinker, or even thinking realistically given the circumstance, with Sarah present was not something he wanted to do. Not right now.

“...Are we sick?” Sarah asked still looking out at the burning building.

“No, of course not,” Joel told her.

“How do you know?”

This time it was Tommy that spoke up. “They said it's just ah, people in the city,” he tried to reassure her. “We're good.”

Sarah turned back to the front. “Didn't Jimmy work in the city?”

There was a slight pause. “That's right he did.”

“We're fine. Trust me,” Joel told her.

“Alright.” She said this softly. She wanted to believe it.

They drove for a bit longer before Tommy slowed slightly as he saw a family on the side of the road. “Let's see what they need.”

Joel turned to him and demanded, “What the hell do you think your doin'? Keep drivin'.”

Tommy sent a look over to his brother. “They got a kid, Joel.”

“So do we,” Joel ground out.

“But we have room,” Sarah spoke up.

The man on the road side waved his arms to get their attention. “Keep drivin', Tommy,” Joel told him. Tommy reluctantly complied. They could hear the man call for them stop. “You ain't seen what I seen. Someone else 'll come along.”

Sarah twisted back in her seat and watched them grow smaller as they got farther away. “... We shoulda helped them.” It fell quiet in the car after that.

It was only a couple minutes later, as they started down hill, that the medical center came into view. Then the sound of a siren sounded as an ambulance pulled out onto the road and flew past them. Sarah watched as it drove by. “Oh, this is bad.” Sarah turned her attention back to the front. There was a line of cars far beyond what they could see. “Everyone and their mother had the same damn idea.”

Joel sighed. “Well... we could just backtrack and-” He stopped as the driver of the car in front of them got out of his vehicle and started hollering at the people stopped farther down. Suddenly, someone wearing a hospital gown charged out of the brush by the road and slammed the man against his car before throwing him to the ground and attacking him. “Holy shit.” It was said under Joel's breath as the scene unfolded. Someone else ran over, also wearing a gown, and clambered inside the car attacking the passenger. “Turn us around. Tommy.” Joel shook his brothers shoulder and shouted his name when one of the attackers started towards their vehicle.

That snapped him out of his shocked state. “Holy shit!” he exclaimed as he quickly switched his SUV in reverse and backing up. Just as he stepped on the gas the man hit against the back drivers side window startling Sarah. “What the fuck just happened – did you see that?” The road they were now on led into the city.

“Yes. I saw it.” Tommy cursed under his breath. Joel pointed off the their left. “Turn here. Turn here.”

Tommy took a sharp turn causing his passengers to brace themselves. Except the road they turned onto had dozens of people running in their direction. Afraid. He slowed down and inched his way forward trying to get through them. “Come on people. Move.”

“What are they running from?” Sarah questioned. She was wary; bordering on afraid. The people were crying out, terrified.

“Get us outta here.”

“I'm tryin',” Tommy told his brother before slamming on his breaks to stop himself from hitting someone.

“We can't stop here Tommy,” Joel stated.

“I can't fuckin' drive through 'em Joel!”

“Then back up then!”

“They're behind me too!”

The amount of people dwindled and the gap between the crashed camper and buildings on the other side was open. “There. There!” Joel shouted as he pointed out the opening.

“Hold on!” Tommy started through the gap. A couple stragglers jumped out of the way of his vehicle. He turned so they were back on the road and about to cross an intersection.

Sarah gasped and shouted, “Look out!” Joel and Tommy had just enough time to look over as a truck came barreling down the road slamming into them.

Joel woke to his daughter shaking his arm and calling quietly out to him. “What..?” There was also the sound of chaos. Opening his eyes the first thing he saw was a crashed truck with two occupants; one dead and the other violently attacking them. Their own vehicle was on its side. “Get back, baby. Get back.” Joel readjusted his position, bracing his hands against the top of the vehicle and lifted his leg, and kicked hard against the already cracked windshield. And again. He grunted in frustration before he kicked it again, this time shattering and knocking it out of the SUV.

Pushing himself up on his elbow, Joel shifted his position before crawling out amongst the people fleeing the chaos. Climbing to his feet, he leaned for a second against the knocked over vehicle before it sounded like someone shouted something before he saw, just in time, the mad man running at him. Joel got pushed back against the SUV by the growling and grunting man. Pressing his forearm against his chest, Joel tried to keep him at a distance while with his other hand deflecting his attempts to hit him. Then suddenly Tommy ran over and slammed a brick in the crazed man face. He was dead as he hit the ground. A look of shocked relief crossed Joel's face. His eyes caught Tommy's as his brother looked back to him before they heard Sarah call out.

Joel quickly ducked down to the front of the vehicle. “I'm here, baby, I'm here. Come on gimme your hand.” She quickly scrambled over and grabbed his hand stumbling slightly as she exited the vehicle. Sarah let out a gasp as she put pressure on her leg and fell against her dad. “What is it?” Joel asked, concerned.

“My leg hurts,” she told him, out of breath and in pain.

Joel slouched slightly to look her in the face. “How bad?”

“Pretty bad.”

“We're gonna need to run,” Tommy called over as he backed away from acting as a lookout.

Turning to where Tommy was watching, Joel muttered, “Oh my god.” Reaching back he grabbed his gun from where he'd tucked it away to earlier and handed it to his brother. “You keep us safe,” he told him. “Come on baby,” he said as he scooped his daughter up in his arms. “Now hold on tight.”

“Okay,” she managed as Joel ran down the street following after Tommy.

There were shouts and screams around them as they ran. The crazed, infected people ran at them dragging people to the ground. Swarming over the ones that stumbled or tripped and fell. “Daddy, I'm scared.”

Tommy shouted to Joel to watch out. Joel took a second to acknowledge the incoming threat who instead went after someone who was drug down by another. “Keep your eyes closed honey,” he said in response to his daughters fear.

A car was seen crashing into the gas station up ahead causing an explosion. Joel held Sarah closer as he and Tommy started down another road. There was a building on fire with people starting to shamble out. “Those people are on fire...”

“Don't look, Sarah. Just keep looking at me baby.” If she wasn't going to shut her eyes the best he could do was try to keep her focused on him instead of the chaos around them.

Tommy came to a stop in front of a fire truck that was stopped blocking the road. He glanced about for a second before pointing over to the front of the truck where there was a gap. “Over there!” They continued on. Tommy, however, jerked to a halt as a couple cars crashed into each other.

Joel continued talking to his daughter. Continued to try to reassure her. “We're gonna get outta this. I promise.”

As they started to approach the theater at the end of the street they could clearly see the fire emitting from a car before it exploded. Tommy shouted back to Joel, “Get back! There's too many of 'em.” Tommy quickly spotted another path and waved them over. “This way! Through the alley!” he called over as he hurried to the alley and pushed open the iron gate holding it open for his brother.

Joel ran through the open door and past his brother. Once the alley opened up more, Joel noticed movement in his peripheral. He acted quickly. Turning, he dropped Sarah's legs and raised his now free arm to block their incoming assailant with his forearm; much like he's done before. His attacker flailed and hit him in the back before Tommy kicked the man back causing him to fall to the ground. Tommy rushed over, stepped on his chest, and shot him in the head. “He's dead,” he told Joel.

“Jesus,” Joel muttered under his breath. Quickly, he scooped Sarah back up in his arms and followed after his brother. “We're almost there. We're almost there, baby.” Her grip tightened slightly.

They kept moving down the zigzag of the alley. They spotted a fenced wall with three infected men on the other side trying to get through. But according to Tommy they were succeeding, though Joel couldn't see where and wasn't about to stop to look. The alley ended on the next turn. Ahead of them was a dead end. There were a couple large dumpsters and to their right there looked to be outdoor seating for a restaurant. “C'mon!” Tommy ran up the few steps towards the side-door to the diner. “Joel! Move it!” The second Joel got inside with Sarah, Tommy turned to swing the door closed. But the three guys from behind the fence reached the door and stuck their arms through. They were pushing and swinging their arms around trying to grab him. “Get to the highway!”

Joel turned to face him. “What?” He didn't want to leave him in the midst of this.

“Go,” he insisted. “You got Sarah! I can out run 'em!”

“Uncle Tommy!” There was fear in her voice. She's seen enough; she didn't want him to be left behind. She didn't want him to die.

Joel hesitated for a second. Before he concluded that he was right. He had to worry about Sarah. And Tommy was quick. ...But so were the crazed infected people. “I will meet you there.” He told him this with the tone that said 'you better be there.'

“Hurry!” Tommy called after them as Joel moved through the restaurant to get to he front doors.

Sarah was on the verge of tears as Joel pushed through the door. “Daddy, we can't leave him.”

“He's gonna be fine,” he tried to reassure her. They stepped out to a parking area. There was a wall surrounding the property. Part of the smaller portion of the wall was broken and easy to pass through. Joel crossed the parking lot trying to ignore the man getting mauled by one of the infected people. They were on a dirt path that wound towards the highway. “We're almost there.”

They could hear the infected man behind them. “They're gettin' closer.”

A tipped over ambulance laid on the side of the path. As they passed by Joel saw a paramedic crawling out, grunting and groaning in that non-normal way. He hurried onward up the hill. They were getting closer. He could hear them. Were they going to make?

Suddenly, there was gunfire from an automatic weapon. Sarah hid her face in Joel's shoulder as she screamed out and Joel twisted away trying to keep her out of harms way and held her closer. There was a light flashing at them. Joel looked over once the gunfire ended. There stood a soldier. Turning back to his daughter he said, “It's okay, baby.” She lifted her head. “We're safe. We're safe.” He was out of breathe. All that running and finally, finally they were going to be okay. “Hey!” he called out to the soldier. “We need help.”

“Stop!” The man lifted a hand signaling for them to stop.

“Please.” Joel started a slow, worn approach. “It's my daughter. I think her legs broken.”

The soldier pointed his gun at them. “Stop right there!”

Joel froze. “Okay...” He took a couple slow steps back. “We're not si-sick.”

He spoke into his radio. “Got a couple of civilians in the outer perimeter. Please advise.”

“Daddy, what about Uncle Tommy?” Sarah asked her dad though not looking away from the other man.

Joel sent a quick glance to her, wary of what was going on, before turning his attention to her and saying, “We're gonna get you to safety and go back for him. Okay?” She looked up at him for a moment but when the soldier spoke again they both turned their attention back to him.

“Sir, there's a little girl.” Joel tensed slightly. “But...” The soldier gave a slight sigh. “Yes Sir.”

“Listen, buddy, we've just been through hell.” There was a tenseness to his voice as well. Though it held a bit of desperation as he continued. “Okay, we just need-” He abruptly cut his sentence short as the soldier lifted his rifle. “Oh, shit.” Just as he started to turn away the soldier opened fire. They both cried out and Joel unintentionally dropped his daughter and they went tumbling down the hill.

Joel groaned as he rolled onto his back, a hand to his side. He scrunched himself up slightly as the soldier came down he hill. The light on the rifle blinding him as he looked up. He pleaded with him. “Please, don't.”

Suddenly a shot fired and the soldier's head jerked as blood splattered. Joel watched in shock as he fell to the ground. He lifted his gaze to see Tommy walking over. Tommy gave him a quick nod before he stopped in his tracks; his eyes looked past Joel. “Oh no...”

That's when Joel heard it. The crying. Joel twisted back to look. “Sarah!” Quickly, he crawled over on hands and knees to his crying daughters side. Sarah had her hands pressed to her bloody side. “Move your hands baby.” But she wasn't. He took one of them and she immediately reached up to him with her other. Her gasping cries. Her fear and pain. “I know, baby. I know...” Joel pressed his hands to her wound. “Listen to me. I know this hurts, baby.” She grabbed onto his arm. “You're gonna be okay, baby. Stay with me.” Sarah needed help. Help he couldn't give her. He needed to get her help. “Alright. I'm gonna pick you up.” She cried out. “I know baby. I know it hurts.” Joel looked to Tommy, desperate. “Come on, baby. Please.” Tommy slowly slumped down to his knees. “I know, baby. I know.” Why was he giving up? They had to help Sarah. They... Suddenly there was silence.

Joel looked down to his daughter. “Sarah...” Her eyes were open, but she was quiet. He gripped her hand. “Baby...” He rocked her in his arms. “Don't do this to me, baby. Don't do this to me, baby girl. Come on...” Lowering his head, broken sobs wrecked through him. “No. no...” Joel pulled her close and held onto to her. “Oh no, no, no... Please.” He sat, holding her, rocking back and forth. “Oh, God. Please, please, don't do this. Please, God...”

Joel stopped talking then. He just cried, holding his daughter's body.


End file.
